Bureau of Geology Announces Annual Achievement Awards

SOCORRO, N.M. March 16, 2011 – The New Mexico Earth Science Achievement Awards were presented to State Rep. Roger Madalena and hydrologist Nicholas Bugosh at a special ceremony in the State Roundhouse on Thursday, March 10. The awards are given annually to two professionals who have made outstanding contributions in advancing Earth sciences.

Madalena is the 2011 winner for contributions in areas of public service and public policy. Bugosh is the 2001 winner in areas of applied science and education.

These awards are co-sponsored by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, a division of New Mexico Tech in Socorro, and the N.M. Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. The awards were launched in 2003 to honor the unrecognized champions of Earth science issues vital to the future of New Mexico.

The presentation coincided with Earth Science Day. The presentations will be made by Dr. Peter Scholle, state geologist and director of the Bureau of Geology, and Brett Woods, the deputy cabinet secretary for the Department.

Roger Madalena is the New Mexico State Representative from District 65. He has demonstrated leadership for ground water issues statewide. His understanding of water use as a community leader, a farmer, and a tribal member have made Roger a keen advocate of the science and technology necessary to manage New Mexico’s precious water resources. Madalena has served as the tribal governor of Jemez Pueblo, a Sandoval County commissioner, and has been a member of the N.M. House of Representatives since 1985. He was the longtime chair of the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and is currently chair of the House Agriculture and Water Resources Committee and co-chair of the Indian Affairs Committee.

Bugosh is being honored for his pioneering contributions to geomorphic reclamation. Initially developed in New Mexico and now being adopted throughout the world, geomorphic reclamation is the process of constructing watersheds on disturbed lands that simulate the relatively stable topography that the erosive forces of nature would eventually form over a very long time. The approximation of natural drainage patterns reduces erosion and sedimentation by creating shorter slopes with correct profiles and by improving conditions for revegetation. Bugosh is currently the principal of Geofluv Inc., which provides worldwide geomorphic reclamation training and design services. His training in geology and hydrology includes a bachelor’s in geology and a master’s in Earth sciences.

The New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources is a non-regulatory research and service division of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro. For 84 years the bureau has served as the geological survey for the state of New Mexico. The Department provides resource protection, recreation, and resource development services to the public and other state agencies. Nominations for next year’s awards are welcome from the general public and may be made directly to the director of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources.